1. Most of Shakepeare's plays were based on the supernatural. Supernatural was believed in during the Renaissance times. Shakespeare wrote many of his plays, including supernatural characters. He wrote of ghosts in Hamlet, witches in Macbeth, and fairies in A Midsummer's Night Dream. Also, in The Tempest, he demonstrated supernatural by adding the character of Ariel. He is a sprite who serves him, but in real life, there are no such things as sprites or fairie-type characters.
2. Ariel is believed to be based on the spirit of music. Ariel's name is actually a play off the common word of the medium which sounds works through. He also lures people to certain by singing his songs. The music also helps Ariel put people to sleep in the play too.
3. Ariel is also believed to be the spirit of science. Magic, in itself, is science. Alongside Prospero, Ariel helps situations using his magic.
4. Slavery or bondages began in prehistoric times and have been practiced ever since then. It has been declining and increasing in certain times. This connects into the play because Ariel was enslaved to Prospero. In contrast to slavery, Ariel was treated with more respect and was eventually set free.
The chains represents the bondage Ariel is under.
5. Ariel's songs were meant to lighten up the play.
One of the original drawings of how Ariel is depicted to look like.
In the most evil plots of the play, Ariel is meant to light up the scene. He prances here and there, and he recites his different songs.
6. The source of Ariel's name might be from the Bible in the Book of Isaiah. Ariel, from the Bible, means "Lion of the Lord." The name might also be a play on the word "aerial."
7. There was punishment for disobeying orders from the master. In America, there was no protection for slaves from their masters. Whips were used to punish the slave whenever the master felt like it. In contrast, Ariel was lucky to have a master like Prospero. His master was very respectful to Ariel, instead of whipping him like most masters did.
8. Freedom for slaves was hard to acheive. Serving Prospero is a priveledge, but Ariel does want to be set free. He has served him for many years, but there were certain tasks that he had to perform before being set free completely.
9. In England, people use fairies to put the blame on mishaps. They blame them for lost items, illness, or even death. On the contrary, Ariel is not blamed for any mishap in The Tempest.
10. Ariel is analyzed also as the spirit of air. He can fly, and he can become invisible. Air hears all that it surrounds. Ariel eavesdrops while being invisible, and he makes songs to lure Ferdinand to Prospero.
**Ariel-type Song**
1. Most of Shakepeare's plays were based on the supernatural. Supernatural was believed in during the Renaissance times. Shakespeare wrote many of his plays, including supernatural characters. He wrote of ghosts in Hamlet, witches in Macbeth, and fairies in A Midsummer's Night Dream. Also, in The Tempest, he demonstrated supernatural by adding the character of Ariel. He is a sprite who serves him, but in real life, there are no such things as sprites or fairie-type characters.
2. Ariel is believed to be based on the spirit of music. Ariel's name is actually a play off the common word of the medium which sounds works through. He also lures people to certain by singing his songs. The music also helps Ariel put people to sleep in the play too.
3. Ariel is also believed to be the spirit of science. Magic, in itself, is science. Alongside Prospero, Ariel helps situations using his magic.
4. Slavery or bondages began in prehistoric times and have been practiced ever since then. It has been declining and increasing in certain times. This connects into the play because Ariel was enslaved to Prospero. In contrast to slavery, Ariel was treated with more respect and was eventually set free.
5. Ariel's songs were meant to lighten up the play.
6. The source of Ariel's name might be from the Bible in the Book of Isaiah. Ariel, from the Bible, means "Lion of the Lord." The name might also be a play on the word "aerial."
7. There was punishment for disobeying orders from the master. In America, there was no protection for slaves from their masters. Whips were used to punish the slave whenever the master felt like it. In contrast, Ariel was lucky to have a master like Prospero. His master was very respectful to Ariel, instead of whipping him like most masters did.
8. Freedom for slaves was hard to acheive. Serving Prospero is a priveledge, but Ariel does want to be set free. He has served him for many years, but there were certain tasks that he had to perform before being set free completely.
9. In England, people use fairies to put the blame on mishaps. They blame them for lost items, illness, or even death. On the contrary, Ariel is not blamed for any mishap in The Tempest.
10. Ariel is analyzed also as the spirit of air. He can fly, and he can become invisible. Air hears all that it surrounds. Ariel eavesdrops while being invisible, and he makes songs to lure Ferdinand to Prospero.
Works Cited
**http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/897221-Supernatural-Shakespeare**
**http://www.jstor.org/pss/737937**
**http://uwacadweb.uwyo.edu/red_feather/lectures/031TheTempest.htm**
**http://franklaughter.tripod.com/cgi-bin/histprof/misc/slavery1.html**
**http://books.google.com/books?id=qpwZAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA3&lpg=PA3&dq=purpose+for+ariel's+songs+in+the+tempest&source=bl&ots=AqD0IkfFJb&sig=z2x0IV9b5zZANNwq8nD5bixdLzE&hl=en&ei=jJqWS8jFHdPblAek8azADQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CBIQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=purpose%20for%20ariel's%20songs%20in%20the%20tempest&f=false**
**http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariel_(The_Tempest**)
**http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/xTempest.html**
**http://www.ehow.com/facts_5636872_england-fairies_-history.html**